Who are the risers and fallers after Day 1 of NFL Combine action? We break down the 2026 NFL Draft prospects who put their best foot forward in Indianapolis, and those who left evaluators wanting more.
2026 NFL Combine Day 1 Risers
Sonny Styles, LB, Ohio State
Mentally and physically, Sonny Styles is different. The film makes both apparent, but Day 1 of the NFL Combine was Styles’ time to shine as a truly extraordinary athlete.
At 6’5″, 244 pounds, with near-33″ arms, Styles measured in with almost unheard-of size at LB, and he packaged that alien size with near-historic athletic numbers. His 43.5″ vertical was the best ever recorded from an LB at the Combine, and his 4.46 40-yard dash and 11’2″ broad jump were both above the 99th percentile.
Styles’ 7.09 three-cone time was only in the 74th percentile among LBs (terrible, I know), and it weighed down his Relative Athletic Score (RAS) from 10.00 to 9.99.
But as a pure size-speed-explosiveness specimen, Styles truly breaks the mold, and he has the work ethic, football intelligence, and resolve to reach his stratospheric ceiling.
Caleb Banks, DT, Florida
Caleb Banks ended his on-field workout early due to discomfort in his foot, but by the time his athletic testing was over, he’d already done everything he could to verify his status as a potential first-round pick.
Measurements alone turned attention Banks’ way. He came in at 6’6″, 327 pounds, with 35″ arms and a wingspan over seven feet. At that size, he logged a 32″ vertical, a 5.04 40-yard dash, and a 9’6″ broad jump that was second place among all DTs, to just Gracen Halton, who’s 34 pounds lighter.
Banks’ hyper-elite raw talent isn’t anything new, but the quantification helps to contextualize just how special a mover he is at his size. In the right environment, his disruptive potential is unmatched.
David Bailey, EDGE, Texas Tech
David Bailey was an elite producer at the collegiate level, but he came into the NFL Combine as a polarizing projected first-rounder. For those hoping to see him validate that early first-round standing, the NFL Combine was a successful venture for the Red Raiders star.
At around 6’4″, 251 pounds, with near-34″ arms, Bailey measured in with ideal compact mass and proportional length. His 10’9″ broad jump was third-best among all EDGE prospects, and his 4.5 40-yard dash was second only behind Arvell Reese.
Bailey wasn’t as proficient in positional drills, where his slight hip stiffness inhibited his change-of-direction and balance in open space. But for Bailey, explosiveness, speed, and power capacity will be central elements of his game in the NFL, and he aced all of those cross-checks.
Jacob Rodriguez, LB, Texas Tech
At 6’1″, 235 pounds, with sub-31″ arms, Jacob Rodriguez’s athleticism has been scrutinized throughout the process. With below-average size, Rodriguez needed to show off high-level athleticism at the NFL Combine, and he did just that.
Rodriguez’s 4.57 40-yard dash was solid, and his 38.5″ vertical was particularly strong. But Rodriguez performed best in the agility drills, where his 6.9 three-cone time and 4.19 short-shuttle both paced the LB position.
On film, Rodriguez is fast to react, instinctive, and a magnet to the ball in all phases, and his athleticism is now verifiable through cross-checks.
Malachi Lawrence, EDGE, UCF
Malachi Lawrence entered the offseason as one of the more compelling mid-round sleepers in the class. He rode that momentum to a standout Shrine Bowl performance and solidified his standing with an equally strong NFL Combine showing.
At 6’4″ and 253 pounds with 33 5/8″ arms, Lawrence ran a searing 4.52 40-yard dash with a 1.59 10-yard split. He matched that speed with elite explosive testing, securing a 40″ vertical and a 10’10” broad jump.
Lawrence still needs to improve his play strength and sturdiness working against the run, but his pass-rush upside has never been more compelling.
Kaleb Proctor, DT, SE Louisiana
Kaleb Proctor was a dominant producer at SE Louisiana in 2025, with 9 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. He then went on to dominate 1-on-1s at the Shrine Bowl. It was only a logical progression for Proctor to then dominate the NFL Combine.
At 6’2″, 291 pounds, Proctor measured in with good proportional length at 33″, and he ran a 4.79 40-yard dash with a 1.68 10-yard split, while leaping 33″ in the vertical and 9’5″ in the broad jump. He also earned the second-best short-shuttle time among DTs
Proctor has aced the offseason process, and in a class that’s frustratingly devoid of high-quality 3-tech disruptors, he has a chance to skyrocket by April.
Kaleb Elarms-Orr, LB, TCU
Having logged 130 total tackles and 11 tackles for loss in 2025, Kaleb Elarms-Orr’s range has long been known to be a strength of his game. He verified that speed and burst at the NFL Combine with a 4.47 40-yard dash and a 40″ vertical at 6’2″, 234 pounds. The former figure was bested only by Styles.
Entering the Combine, Elarms-Orr was one of the most well-rounded Day 3 LBs, with a particular affinity for pursuit and blitz work. His numbers could ultimately lift him into Top 100 contention.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State
At 6’6″, 256 pounds, with 33 1/2″ arms, Dani Dennis-Sutton ran a 4.63 40-yard dash, a 39.5″ vertical, and a 10’11” broad jump that was the best among edge rushers. His explosiveness at his size has always been a strength, but Dennis-Sutton also took on the three-cone drill and logged a strong time of 6.90.
On film, Dennis-Sutton’s hip flexibility and bend are generally a weakness, but for some evaluators, his three-cone might hint at unearthed upside if he can improve his weight transitions.
Kyle Louis, LB, Pittsburgh
Kyle Louis blends the line between linebacker and safety as a hybrid nickel, dime linebacker prospect. At 6’0″, 220 pounds, he’s undersized, but he was able to compensate with elite positional testing at the NFL Combine.
Louis ran a 4.53 40-yard dash with a 1.55 10-yard split, jumped 39.5″ in the vertical and 10’9″ in the broad, and achieved a swift three-cone below seven seconds. Louis’s football IQ and versatility are already strengths on tape, and now he’s quantified the explosiveness, speed, and agility to add to his instincts.
DeMonte Capehart, DT, Clemson
At 6’5″, 313 pounds, with 34″ arms, DeMonte Capehart put up a 33.5″ vertical and a blistering 4.85 40-yard dash, along with a 1.71 10-yard split. He didn’t take part in agility drills, which perhaps is a signal of his lesser flexibility and change-of-direction.
But for teams that value linear explosion and power capacity, Capehart has both in spades.
2026 NFL Combine Day 1 Fallers
R Mason Thomas, EDGE, Oklahoma
R Mason Thomas spent his entire collegiate career as an undersized edge rusher and produced at a high clip within that mold. But being just 6’2″ and 241 pounds, with 31 5/8″ arms, Thomas needed to test well more than most.
After anticipating a 40-yard dash time in the 4.4s range the day before, Thomas ran a disappointing 4.67 despite being trimmed down, and didn’t take part in the vertical or broad jump or agility drills.
His pro day will provide an opportunity to improve, but Thomas raised more questions than he answered.
LT Overton, EDGE, Alabama
LT Overton measured well at 6’3″, 274 pounds, with 33″ arms, but his 4.87 40-yard dash was the third-worst in the EDGE group, and his 1.7 10-yard split was second-worst. Overton has been theorized as a potential candidate to add more weight and move inside at the NFL level, and his Combine results lean into that projection.
Lee Hunter, DT, Texas Tech
Lee Hunter has been projected as a potential first-round pick. His NFL Combine results may cool those projections down. On one hand, Hunter’s disappointing testing wasn’t all too unexpected; he’s always been more of a motor monster than an athletic specimen, and he’s top-heavy with a thin, narrow lower body.
That said, Hunter’s testing subverted even the more conservative expectations. He logged a 21.5″ vertical (just 2nd percentile at DT) and an 8’4″ broad jump (28th percentile at DT). His 5.18 40-yard dash at 318 pounds was at least average; evaluators will be tasked with discerning how Hunter’s play pace differs from his testing numbers.
Max Llewellyn, EDGE, Iowa
Max Llewellyn measured in with just 32 1/4″ arms at 6’6″, marking poor proportional length, and he also underwhelmed in athletic testing. His 4.81 40-yard dash was bottom-five at the position, and his 32.5″ vertical and 9’7″ broad jump were both worst-in-class.
Llewellyn makes up for his lack of burst and length with agility, fluidity, and pass-rush nuance on film, but his Combine showing highlighted his lower ceiling.
Taurean York, LB, Texas A&M
Taurean York was a two-time captain and green dot defender for Texas A&M, but physically, his profile is limited. At 5’11”, 226 pounds, with just 30″ arms, he’s notably undersized, and athletic testing didn’t alleviate any concerns.
York chose not to run in the 40-yard dash or jump in the vertical or broad, and while he took part in agility drills, he logged the worst three-cone time and short-shuttle time of all LBs. Athleticism has never been York’s calling card; his football IQ is.
But York won’t be for teams that have strict athletic thresholds.
Honorable Mention 2026 NFL Combine Risers
- David Gusta, DT, Kentucky
- Jack Kelly, LB, BYU
- Albert Regis, DT, Texas A&M
- Karson Sharar, LB, Iowa
- Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
- George Gumbs Jr., EDGE, Florida
- Gracen Halton, DT, Oklahoma
- Mason Reiger, EDGE, Wisconsin
- Trey Moore, EDGE, Texas
